"Big sis!" Rhiannon happily bounded towards Aster, completely ignoring the stares she received.

Aster gave a small smile despite her unease.

Just as Rhiannon reached the table, she tripped over the leg of a chair and fell towards the tall bookshelf behind Aster.

'What!' Aster dove towards Rhiannon, placing herself between Rhiannon and the bookshelf. With her arms wrapped around Rhiannon's head and back, they crashed heavily into the bookshelf. Books from the top shelf clattered.

But there was no pain.

'Lucky...' Aster opened her tightly shut eyes, intending to check on Rhiannon, but she froze when she found Lucifer towering over their hunched bodies with his hands on the bookshelf.

Aster glanced at Rhiannon. Indeed, her eyes were twinkling with admiration. It made Aster's eyelid twitch. 'What in the world is happening here? A trope? A cliché? Rhia is never this clumsy. And what's with his insane reflexes? Did he jump over the table or something?'

"Are you ladies okay?" Lucifer's deep voice broke Aster's train of thought.

Rhiannon's eyes grew wider in surprise.

On the other hand, Aster's lips were further pulled into a straight line.

"You-"

"Thank you." Aster hurriedly pulled Rhiannon away before Rhiannon's words could tie their fate to him.

"Big sis!"

Aster ignored Rhiannon and continued to stuff her belongings into her bag.

"He-"

"Let's go. I'm done here. You didn't need to find me here." Aster scurried off with Rhiannon's hand in hers.

"Why're you in such a rush!"

From the corner of her eye, Aster noted how Lucifer had already returned to his task, completely unperturbed by their activity.

'It should be okay...'

"Big sis!" Rhiannon was getting more upset by the second.

Now that they were out of the library, Aster slowed down her pace and properly looked at Rhiannon. "Yes, Rhia?"

"...Why were you- No, nevermind that, do you know him? That guy from earlier!"

"No, I don't. We just happened to study at the same table."

"Just happened to? That's even better." Rhiannon stroked her chin with a twinkle in her eye.

Aster frowned. "Why?"

"That makes him all the more promising. I like him."

"Just because he saved us?"

"Tsk. Of course not! Think about it! Sitting at the same table by luck? AND noticing you?"

"... I'm not getting it."

"He could be the one for you!" Rhiannon squealed.

Aster's expression fell flat. "Give up that thought. He didn't notice me before today, before you came along. Don't even think about it. It's impossible."

"So you have been sitting with him regularly? Oh... It just gets better and better!" Rhiannon squirmed in excitement.

"Rhia, please-"

"Oh, come on..." Rhiannon shook Aster's hand childishly. "You never know..."

"Rhia, no. I don't want us to have anything to do with him."

"Why?" Rhiannon pouted.

"Nothing good will come out of it."

"You're just being pessimistic... Can't you be optimistic for once? When else does this happen? If this is not a sign, then what is?"

"That's precisely why this is fishy. It's a sign, yes, but not of anything good. If anything, it's an omen."

"You're only saying that because... Ugh." Rhiannon turned away and hung her head low.

Aster sighed lightly and patted Rhiannon's head. "I'm just being realistic. It's safer this way. So, be a good girl, okay?"

Rhiannon swiped her eyes and sniffled. "Only if you'll also try to be more positive about yourself."

"...Okay, okay, I will."

Unfortunately, Aster's attempt at preventing Rhiannon's association with the trio was futile. It was as if Rhiannon's fate had always been tied to theirs. Several things had happened without Aster's knowledge.

Despite being in different years, Rhiannon happened to cross paths with Eric enough times for him to catch her interest. Just like that, she became one of the girls who pined for him.

Rhiannon was also optimistic about her chances. She had outstanding character, looks, and intellect. By objective standards, she was more qualified than even Guinevere. All Guinevere had going for her was her past with Eric and her damsel in distress charm.

In a bid to win Eric's love, Rhiannon created minor issues for Guinevere. It should prove how Guinevere was completely useless on her own. Eric would not be drawn to someone like that, would he?

However, there was a huge unexpected obstacle. Lucifer was constantly coming to Guinevere's rescue. 'I don't believe it! How can someone like him fall for a cheap trick like Guinevere?'

To understand the situation better, Rhiannon eventually confronted him by herself. "Why're you always protecting Guinevere? Is she worth it?"

"How is that any of your business?"

"Then, what about my sister? She's so much more capable! Instead of spending so much time with that weakling, it'll do you better to increase your contact with my sister!"

"Your sister?"

"The girl with me at the library. Remember? I wasn't alone when you saw me, right?"

Lucifer frowned.

Seeing his obvious lack of recollection, she elaborated with increasingly narrowed eyes. "The girl who sits at the other end of your table? Every, single, day?"

Lucifer shook his head. 'Had someone always been there?' A faint memory nagged him at the back of his mind. Why did it feel like there really was someone there with this girl at that time? But no matter how hard he tried to recall, his memory stayed foggy.

Fury filled Rhiannon's heart. "Forget it." She spun on her heels and stormed off. The disappointment and hurt brought tears to her eyes.

'Why, why, why, why, why? Why is it always like this? Big sis doesn't deserve this! And he was so promising! Why does that tramp get all the men? How is big sis any worse than her? How am I worse than her? They're all bewitched! As long as she's out of the picture then all would be alright!'

Rhiannon kept mum about everything. Things that happened in school stayed in school. It was a filter into the adult world of business and politics, and she was ready to please her family with her success.

Aster was passing by Rhiannon's bedroom when her heart squeezed. She took a better look at Rhiannon who was seated at her grand study table, looking intently at her laptop. The way she bit on her thumbnail and the intensity of her gaze did not sit well with Aster.

'Something's not right.'

A while later, Rhiannon broke into a bright smile, but her gaze was still not right.

'Blackening.' The term popped into Aster's brain like a notification going off. 'No, I can't can't let that happen. She can't be the villainess.'

The corner of Aster's lips turned downward as she contemplated her next move.

Aster spent the next few days asking Rhiannon about school and life, hoping that she would let something slip.

However, Rhiannon was determined to keep everything under wraps.

The mismatch in their schedules made it hard to keep a close eye on Rhiannon. When she approached Darius for help, he suggested trusting Rhiannon. "Just like how I want you to trust in yourself." He added on.

So, Aster could only turn to hiring a private investigator.

A few weeks passed by without an incident, but Aster did not let up. There had to be something up. Rhiannon may be cheeky and a little spoiled, but she had never made such an evil expression before.

The only clues she had was Rhiannon's sudden interest in Chemistry and the frequency of Guinevere's presence in the places where Rhiannon hung out with her friends.

She refused to believe Rhiannon's excuse that she was an inspiration to work on their weaknesses. How could an insignificant person like her inspire anyone?

'Is this coincidence? Fate? Or intentional?'

Aster was in the library scrolling through her phone, reading yet another report sent by the investigator. 'Hm?She spent 30 minutes in the laboratory and came out with a transparent liquid?'

Her heart dropped. She rushed out of the library with only her phone, straight to where Rhiannon had always been reported to be at on Fridays.

Rhiannon was seated at a table in the canteen, happily chatting with her friends. However, her attention was really on the table some distance away from hers. Guinevere was alone, waiting for Eric to be done with his soccer practice.

Rhiannon controlled the flow of the conversation in her group and stood up when the soccer boys returned from practice.

The boys surrounded Guinevere like bees to a flower, all taking their chances with her before their captain returned from his duty.

"I'll help you create the chance encounter that you need." Rhiannon winked at her friend just as they walked past the rowdy group, then nudged her friend hard enough to make her bump into the boy closest to Guinevere.

The open bottle in his hand toppled and its contents flowed towards Guinevere.

Rhiannon could already see the torment on Guinevere's face and the pleasing shriek of her voice. How wonderful. All the prep work of stoking her friend's interest in this boy and diving deep into a subject she disliked was all worth it for this moment.

"RHIA!" Aster's voice shattered Rhiannon's bliss in that fraction of a second. "There you are!" And just like that, the liquid that was supposed to fall onto Guinevere, fell onto Aster instead. In the midst of it, in fact, Aster had conveniently pushed Guinevere off her seat and away from the splash zone.

Rhiannon froze. How did it turn out this way?

"Oh, sorry, I lost my footing!" Aster's apology to Guinevere broke Rhiannon out of her trance.

"Big sis! Aren't you-!"

"And you!" Aster turned her wrath onto the boy who spilt his drink. "How dare you be so careless with your drink!" Aster poured a different bottle of water on the boy's head.

"HEY!" It was unjustifiable. It was just water!

"It would have dirtied Guinevere if it wasn't for me." Aster glared at the boy, daring him to argue back.

Indeed, he shut his mouth.

"Big si-"

"Rhia, Stanley is waiting for us. There's something to attend to at home."

Rhiannon's breath hitched in her throat. She had wanted to ask how Aster was okay despite being splashed with her concoction, but Aster's abnormally pale expression, excess perspiration, and rugged breathing was enough of an answer. "You're crazy." She whispered breathlessly with tears springing to her eyes.

"Let's go, now, please."

Aster's plea brought Rhiannon to her senses. "We've to get you treated immediately!" Rhiannon supported Aster and dragged her away.

Everyone looked strangely at the siblings. Why was there so much drama over some water?

In the family's car that Aster had already called for, Aster steadied her breathing, gritted her teeth, and bore with the searing burn on her thigh. It was as if it reached her bones. No amount of washing or cooling agent had helped. The only comfort she had was that the true damage would only be skin-deep. Rhiannon's concoction was a successful tool for torture.Rhiannon had created an effective tool for torture.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Rhiannon was still crying noisily by Aster's side. "This wasn't supposed to happen... It was supposed to be her... It should have been her!"

"Rhia... That's enough about Guinevere..." Aster kept her tone as light as she could.

"No! She's the bane of our existence! Everything would be perfect once she loses her looks! It's as simple as that! My plan was perfect! It should have all went well!" Rhiannon's eyes were puffy and bloodshot. "WHY were you there? WHY did you appear?" She was almost screaming.

Aster stayed silent. The pain in her thigh suddenly could not compare to the pain in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes. 'Why must she be the villainess? She's far from evil. What bullshit is this?'

Rhiannon gasped and covered her mouth. Everything that spilled out of her mouth registered in her brain and fresh tears poured forth again "No, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's not your fault. I'm sorry."

Aster tenderly cupped Rhiannon's cheek. "Is Eric really worth all that you're doing? Is he worthy of the true you?"

Rhiannon bit her bottom lip and shut her eyes tightly. Tears continued to stream down her face.

Aster continued, "Rhia... You're far more than this... Don't reduce yourself to this state. Please?"

Aster's words tore Rhiannon's heart apart. She could hear the unspoken pride behind it. Rhiannon hugged Aster's arm and silently cried the remaining way home.